ISBN: 978-1-68046-814-4
A story about young love, first love, true love, timeless love, and the power of love letters.
Mark and Bethany are two mismatched high school seniors in a new relationship.
It’s doomed to fail.
Mark has adored Bethany since middle school, and she’s finally giving him a chance. Only, he’s clumsy at romance and knows he’ll lose her because of it. Bethany thinks Mark is sweet. Only, she’s afraid to commit her whole heart to him because he’s going into the army and she’s headed off to college.
Fifty years earlier, a boy and a girl from the same high school shared an amazing love story. They have now returned as ghosts and are interfering in Mark and Bethany’s relationship.
Who are they? Why do they care what happens to Mark and Bethany?
Mark and Bethany are two mismatched high school seniors in a new relationship.
It’s doomed to fail.
Mark has adored Bethany since middle school, and she’s finally giving him a chance. Only, he’s clumsy at romance and knows he’ll lose her because of it. Bethany thinks Mark is sweet. Only, she’s afraid to commit her whole heart to him because he’s going into the army and she’s headed off to college.
Fifty years earlier, a boy and a girl from the same high school shared an amazing love story. They have now returned as ghosts and are interfering in Mark and Bethany’s relationship.
Who are they? Why do they care what happens to Mark and Bethany?
Order it Today!
ISBN: 978-1-68046-814-4
Ebook discounted to $2.99
Kindle Nook Smashwords
GooglePlay Apple Books
Get it in print at Lulu
Add All the Love You Write to your Goodreads 'to read' list or follow me at Bookbub
Read the first chapter for free at Fire and Ice YA Books
If you're interested in reviewing the book for your blog or bookstagram, please contact me.
ISBN: 978-1-68046-814-4
Ebook discounted to $2.99
Kindle Nook Smashwords
GooglePlay Apple Books
Get it in print at Lulu
Add All the Love You Write to your Goodreads 'to read' list or follow me at Bookbub
Read the first chapter for free at Fire and Ice YA Books
If you're interested in reviewing the book for your blog or bookstagram, please contact me.
Reviews!
"Love relationships are difficult enough without interference from ghosts! All the Love You Write by D. G. Driver is an endearing romance with a twist of the supernatural. Although ideally for young adults, older readers will also get a kick out of the memories that Bethany and Mark's high-school love story evoke. Bethany and Mark have known each other since they were children, but two people more different would be difficult to find - Bethany is headed for college and Mark for the army. Do they have what it takes to make their relationship last despite their differences? … D. G. Driver has done it again - she's written a sentimental story about first love that tugs at the heartstrings, pulling young adult readers towards a satisfying ending, while teaching them the value of friendship, communication and - most importantly - knowing and trusting oneself. All the Love You Write is a character-driven young adult novel showing the growth and development of both Bethany and Mark as they realize that life can be more complicated than it seems. The book's characters ring true to readers as they behave in ways consistent with their age and context. Bethany knows her own mind but doesn't have the experience allowing her to be confident in her reactions, and Mark is the quintessential teenage boy - engaging, but awkward. All the Love You Write, with its supernatural element, draws readers irresistibly into the story while teaching valuable life-lessons in the most natural and compelling way."
Reader's Favorite 5-star review
"All The Love You Write is a complicated (in the emotional sense) teen romance, written well with sensitivity and some lovely imagery. Teenage uncertainty and self consciousness is captured effectively and the historical aspect was obviously researched." Between the Lines blog review
"This is a sweet, heartwarming tale, and I challenge anyone to read it and not have their heartstrings tugged... If you're a fan of love stories - or even better, supernatural love stories, All the Love You Write is an inspiring tale with some some heartfelt messages." Books and Such blog review
"Driver has written a beautifully crafted tale of love, indecision, and teen angst, with just enough intervention by spirits to make it fun."
Monday Morning Indie blog review
"A sweet story with a touch of the paranormal and two unbelievably sweet and swoon-worthy love stories and a book with several important messages about life and love" Catriona1011 bookstagram
"I binged the last half of this book because I was so engaged. The ending of this book was sweet and extremely satisfying...The writing is clean, simple, and easy to follow. The characters are charming and relatable. This is a nice contemporary YA romance with a sprinkle of supernatural, and was a fun little read." DoctorBookNerd blog review
“The premise of this book was quite interesting... I loved the second act of the novel, where the love story between [the ghosts] was revealed via our MCs reading the letters. The romance was cute and realistic, and I absolutely shipped our MCs. Mark was cute, quirky, awkward and romantic, and Bethany was clever and kind; I found myself really liking their characters... Is it cute? Yeah. Is it light? Definitely. If you're looking for something cute, unique and fluffy to read… give it a try… it's a fun read.” NetGalley review
"I love the cover for this book. It’s simple, elegant, and says romance to me. The writing is done well and the words flow nicely on the page. I really enjoyed how All the Love You Write started. I was very intrigued to find out about the notes Mark found and then they disappeared. That was a great beginning to this romance mixed with a ghost story.
"The budding romance between Mark and Bethany made me feel bad for Mark. She made it pretty obvious to me that she didn’t really care about him. And then he wrote a letter with the help of a ghost. I think Donna did a great job with these two characters and how they interacted with each other. The ghosts were introduced into the story from the start, and I loved how Donna Driver set it all up.
"The decisions the teenagers make feel real to me. I remember when I was in high school. It was all such a landmine for me, and I sympathize with Mark. Britany also felt like a real teenage girl, going back-and-forth over Mark and an ex-abusive boyfriend named Lance.
"Loved reading the love letters with Mark and Bethany. Overall, I enjoyed All the Love You Write by D. G. Driver." Sherry Terry, The Naked Reviewers blog
"Love relationships are difficult enough without interference from ghosts! All the Love You Write by D. G. Driver is an endearing romance with a twist of the supernatural. Although ideally for young adults, older readers will also get a kick out of the memories that Bethany and Mark's high-school love story evoke. Bethany and Mark have known each other since they were children, but two people more different would be difficult to find - Bethany is headed for college and Mark for the army. Do they have what it takes to make their relationship last despite their differences? … D. G. Driver has done it again - she's written a sentimental story about first love that tugs at the heartstrings, pulling young adult readers towards a satisfying ending, while teaching them the value of friendship, communication and - most importantly - knowing and trusting oneself. All the Love You Write is a character-driven young adult novel showing the growth and development of both Bethany and Mark as they realize that life can be more complicated than it seems. The book's characters ring true to readers as they behave in ways consistent with their age and context. Bethany knows her own mind but doesn't have the experience allowing her to be confident in her reactions, and Mark is the quintessential teenage boy - engaging, but awkward. All the Love You Write, with its supernatural element, draws readers irresistibly into the story while teaching valuable life-lessons in the most natural and compelling way."
Reader's Favorite 5-star review
"All The Love You Write is a complicated (in the emotional sense) teen romance, written well with sensitivity and some lovely imagery. Teenage uncertainty and self consciousness is captured effectively and the historical aspect was obviously researched." Between the Lines blog review
"This is a sweet, heartwarming tale, and I challenge anyone to read it and not have their heartstrings tugged... If you're a fan of love stories - or even better, supernatural love stories, All the Love You Write is an inspiring tale with some some heartfelt messages." Books and Such blog review
"Driver has written a beautifully crafted tale of love, indecision, and teen angst, with just enough intervention by spirits to make it fun."
Monday Morning Indie blog review
"A sweet story with a touch of the paranormal and two unbelievably sweet and swoon-worthy love stories and a book with several important messages about life and love" Catriona1011 bookstagram
"I binged the last half of this book because I was so engaged. The ending of this book was sweet and extremely satisfying...The writing is clean, simple, and easy to follow. The characters are charming and relatable. This is a nice contemporary YA romance with a sprinkle of supernatural, and was a fun little read." DoctorBookNerd blog review
“The premise of this book was quite interesting... I loved the second act of the novel, where the love story between [the ghosts] was revealed via our MCs reading the letters. The romance was cute and realistic, and I absolutely shipped our MCs. Mark was cute, quirky, awkward and romantic, and Bethany was clever and kind; I found myself really liking their characters... Is it cute? Yeah. Is it light? Definitely. If you're looking for something cute, unique and fluffy to read… give it a try… it's a fun read.” NetGalley review
"I love the cover for this book. It’s simple, elegant, and says romance to me. The writing is done well and the words flow nicely on the page. I really enjoyed how All the Love You Write started. I was very intrigued to find out about the notes Mark found and then they disappeared. That was a great beginning to this romance mixed with a ghost story.
"The budding romance between Mark and Bethany made me feel bad for Mark. She made it pretty obvious to me that she didn’t really care about him. And then he wrote a letter with the help of a ghost. I think Donna did a great job with these two characters and how they interacted with each other. The ghosts were introduced into the story from the start, and I loved how Donna Driver set it all up.
"The decisions the teenagers make feel real to me. I remember when I was in high school. It was all such a landmine for me, and I sympathize with Mark. Britany also felt like a real teenage girl, going back-and-forth over Mark and an ex-abusive boyfriend named Lance.
"Loved reading the love letters with Mark and Bethany. Overall, I enjoyed All the Love You Write by D. G. Driver." Sherry Terry, The Naked Reviewers blog
Here is a short excerpt from All the Love You Write:
I got to British Lit early the next day and poked all around the boxes on the desk for more yellow scraps of paper. Nothing turned up. I finally gave up the search when Mrs. Hollstein and some of the students arrived. I’m not sure if I felt disappointed or dejected that I hadn’t heard from the stalker/ghost person. Relieved would have made the most sense. Glad that it really was just a coincidence and not something personal, would have been another way to look at it. Instead, I felt this strange sense of desperation. I think I was really hoping this “person” would help me understand why Bethany continued to ignore me.
I rubbed my eyes and shook some sleep out of my head, then tried to focus on Mrs. Hollstein’s lecture about vocabulary lists being done in good penmanship and not on the computer.
“I don’t want you to cut and paste from some website. Write the definitions legibly and you will learn better. And it wouldn’t hurt to do it in cursive, to make it look like you care.”
I copied the word list off the board. Then, just for laughs, I wrote them all again in cursive like she told us to. Well, as much cursive as I could remember. Flipping the paper over to write on the other side, I discovered it had already been written on. But not by me. By my ghostly companion.
Yes. I was sure now. It had to be some kind of ghost or spirit. That paper hadn’t left my hand since I tore it out of my notebook, and it had been blank on both sides at that point. I was pretty sure of that. I would have noticed several sentences written in cursive, in black ink, wouldn’t I?
It’s stupid, but I actually felt my eyes widen as I took in a long breath through my nose in alarm. I looked around warily, wondering where the ghost might be. Was he nearby, watching me?
Then I read the note.
A true love letter is shared only with your lover. Only she needs to hear what your heart has to say. Hold hands in public, but keep romance discreet. A woman needs to believe that you are hers alone, and that you will share with her what you won’t give to anyone else.
I understood it this time. The penmanship was easier to read, and his fancy vocabulary didn’t test me. He was basically telling me I’d screwed up by writing my apology in a public forum. That only made it worse because now all 382 of her “friends” knew I’d done something stupid toward her.
382 people had probably jammed her phone messages with “I told you so” and “Who is the jerk?” texts. I saw a handful of them last night on the computer. A couple old boyfriends, including Lance, probably made themselves known, too. “Dump the loser and remember what we had.” I really was an idiot. She should dump me.
I put my pen to the paper under that note, curious to see what would happen if I wrote:
What should I do now?
Letter by letter an answer appeared.
Try again.
I pulled out my phone, intending to sneak online for a second and email her. That would be more private.
But bold, black letters scrawled across the page so dark and thick that I could almost hear the scraping of the invisible marker: NO!
“Okay,” I whispered. “Calm down.” I pocketed the phone.
What then? I wrote.
On paper. A fresh, clean sheet of stationery. A piece of parchment that shows that she is worth something more substantial than scrap paper.
I didn’t have anything like that. All I had was college rule, 3-hole notebook paper. Where was I going to get… I noticed Jill over at her desk, her backpack open and dangling from the back of her seat. Her sketchbook for Advanced Art class stuck out of it.
“Jill?” I whispered loud enough to get her attention. “Can I have a piece of your drawing paper?”
“No,” she whispered back over her shoulder. “It’s expensive.”
“I’ll give you a buck a page.”
“How much do you want?”
I traded my lunch money for five sheets.
I wanted to write something to Bethany right away, but I figured that was not what the ghost wanted me to do. I hardly had enough room to write neatly on this edge of desk I had to work with. To make space for an answer from the ghost, I wrote as small as I could at the bottom of my note:
What should I write?
What you feel! But practice first. Get it right.
Why are you helping me?
The ghost didn’t answer right away, but when he did his response was in neat printing, not the cursive he usually used.
A man in the army needs to be able to write to the woman he leaves at home. It may be all she has left of him if things go wrong.
I wanted to ask more, but I was out of space. I ripped out a new sheet of paper and wrote a couple more questions. He didn’t answer any of them. He was gone.
I got to British Lit early the next day and poked all around the boxes on the desk for more yellow scraps of paper. Nothing turned up. I finally gave up the search when Mrs. Hollstein and some of the students arrived. I’m not sure if I felt disappointed or dejected that I hadn’t heard from the stalker/ghost person. Relieved would have made the most sense. Glad that it really was just a coincidence and not something personal, would have been another way to look at it. Instead, I felt this strange sense of desperation. I think I was really hoping this “person” would help me understand why Bethany continued to ignore me.
I rubbed my eyes and shook some sleep out of my head, then tried to focus on Mrs. Hollstein’s lecture about vocabulary lists being done in good penmanship and not on the computer.
“I don’t want you to cut and paste from some website. Write the definitions legibly and you will learn better. And it wouldn’t hurt to do it in cursive, to make it look like you care.”
I copied the word list off the board. Then, just for laughs, I wrote them all again in cursive like she told us to. Well, as much cursive as I could remember. Flipping the paper over to write on the other side, I discovered it had already been written on. But not by me. By my ghostly companion.
Yes. I was sure now. It had to be some kind of ghost or spirit. That paper hadn’t left my hand since I tore it out of my notebook, and it had been blank on both sides at that point. I was pretty sure of that. I would have noticed several sentences written in cursive, in black ink, wouldn’t I?
It’s stupid, but I actually felt my eyes widen as I took in a long breath through my nose in alarm. I looked around warily, wondering where the ghost might be. Was he nearby, watching me?
Then I read the note.
A true love letter is shared only with your lover. Only she needs to hear what your heart has to say. Hold hands in public, but keep romance discreet. A woman needs to believe that you are hers alone, and that you will share with her what you won’t give to anyone else.
I understood it this time. The penmanship was easier to read, and his fancy vocabulary didn’t test me. He was basically telling me I’d screwed up by writing my apology in a public forum. That only made it worse because now all 382 of her “friends” knew I’d done something stupid toward her.
382 people had probably jammed her phone messages with “I told you so” and “Who is the jerk?” texts. I saw a handful of them last night on the computer. A couple old boyfriends, including Lance, probably made themselves known, too. “Dump the loser and remember what we had.” I really was an idiot. She should dump me.
I put my pen to the paper under that note, curious to see what would happen if I wrote:
What should I do now?
Letter by letter an answer appeared.
Try again.
I pulled out my phone, intending to sneak online for a second and email her. That would be more private.
But bold, black letters scrawled across the page so dark and thick that I could almost hear the scraping of the invisible marker: NO!
“Okay,” I whispered. “Calm down.” I pocketed the phone.
What then? I wrote.
On paper. A fresh, clean sheet of stationery. A piece of parchment that shows that she is worth something more substantial than scrap paper.
I didn’t have anything like that. All I had was college rule, 3-hole notebook paper. Where was I going to get… I noticed Jill over at her desk, her backpack open and dangling from the back of her seat. Her sketchbook for Advanced Art class stuck out of it.
“Jill?” I whispered loud enough to get her attention. “Can I have a piece of your drawing paper?”
“No,” she whispered back over her shoulder. “It’s expensive.”
“I’ll give you a buck a page.”
“How much do you want?”
I traded my lunch money for five sheets.
I wanted to write something to Bethany right away, but I figured that was not what the ghost wanted me to do. I hardly had enough room to write neatly on this edge of desk I had to work with. To make space for an answer from the ghost, I wrote as small as I could at the bottom of my note:
What should I write?
What you feel! But practice first. Get it right.
Why are you helping me?
The ghost didn’t answer right away, but when he did his response was in neat printing, not the cursive he usually used.
A man in the army needs to be able to write to the woman he leaves at home. It may be all she has left of him if things go wrong.
I wanted to ask more, but I was out of space. I ripped out a new sheet of paper and wrote a couple more questions. He didn’t answer any of them. He was gone.
Here's a little more about this novel:
All the Love You Write is written in three parts. The first section of the book is a newly revised version of my novella Passing Notes which was published by F&I YA Books in 2015. It has a new final chapter that leads to the continuation of the story.
Part two tells the love story of the ghosts in their former lives, set during the time of the Vietnam War. Part Three is from Bethany's point of view and tells how the ghostly interference affects the relationship between her and Mark.
If you've already read Passing Notes, you will enjoy this new, full-length novel. If you haven't read Passing Notes and want to sample it before getting the full novel All the Love You Write, it is still available in ebook.
Mark has finally gotten the attention of the girl of his dreams. Only, his lame attempts at romance through texts and emails seem to be turning her off. When he gets put in the back of the room in an over-full class at school, he begins to discover old notes giving advice about how to write a great love letter. At first he thinks he’s stumbled on some long-forgotten notes passed in class ages ago, but every time he reads them they seem directed specifically to him. They also appear at the perfect moment each time he needs more advice. It’s like someone is haunting him.
How do the notes keep appearing? Who’s writing them? Why?
And if Mark follows the ghostly writer’s advice, will he win Bethany’s love?
ISBN: 978-1-68046-037-7
All the Love You Write is written in three parts. The first section of the book is a newly revised version of my novella Passing Notes which was published by F&I YA Books in 2015. It has a new final chapter that leads to the continuation of the story.
Part two tells the love story of the ghosts in their former lives, set during the time of the Vietnam War. Part Three is from Bethany's point of view and tells how the ghostly interference affects the relationship between her and Mark.
If you've already read Passing Notes, you will enjoy this new, full-length novel. If you haven't read Passing Notes and want to sample it before getting the full novel All the Love You Write, it is still available in ebook.
Mark has finally gotten the attention of the girl of his dreams. Only, his lame attempts at romance through texts and emails seem to be turning her off. When he gets put in the back of the room in an over-full class at school, he begins to discover old notes giving advice about how to write a great love letter. At first he thinks he’s stumbled on some long-forgotten notes passed in class ages ago, but every time he reads them they seem directed specifically to him. They also appear at the perfect moment each time he needs more advice. It’s like someone is haunting him.
How do the notes keep appearing? Who’s writing them? Why?
And if Mark follows the ghostly writer’s advice, will he win Bethany’s love?
ISBN: 978-1-68046-037-7
Passing Notes is only 99 cents at Amazon or FREE for Kindle Unlimited
And you can get it in PRINT. Only $3.50 from Lulu
Read the first chapter at Fire and Ice Young Adult Books
And you can get it in PRINT. Only $3.50 from Lulu
Read the first chapter at Fire and Ice Young Adult Books
Proud to announce that Passing Notes is an Award-Winning Book!
It took the Silver medal in the RBRT 2016 Book Awards for Best Fantasy Book. I'm very honored. Learn more about the award here: https://rosieamber.wordpress.com/2016/12/13/the-winners-tuesdaybookblog-rbrt-bookreview-team-presents-the-gold-silver-2016-book-awards/
It took the Silver medal in the RBRT 2016 Book Awards for Best Fantasy Book. I'm very honored. Learn more about the award here: https://rosieamber.wordpress.com/2016/12/13/the-winners-tuesdaybookblog-rbrt-bookreview-team-presents-the-gold-silver-2016-book-awards/
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REVIEWS of Passing Notes
"Passing Notes is a novella about young love but with a touch of paranormal. It’s a sweet story that I enjoyed.Even though this is a novella, D.G. Driver did a good job at developing the characters. It’s obvious that Mark, who is telling the story, is a good guy who is hopelessly in love.A couple of current issues are brought to attention, both of which are bothersome to me. One is how much texting and emailing replaces talking and spending time together in relationships. The other is that cursive writing seems to be becoming a thing of the past. I enjoyed Passing Notes and I believe young adults and adults alike would like it. I wish it had been longer!" Bound4Escape "This is such a good read!! "I really enjoyed reading this short novella. I really did feel Mark's frustration when he would attempt something to woo Bethany and it would just backfire in his face. Then he started getting the letters, and when he listens... it's amazing for him! He learns of a long-forgotten connection, and he learns a new skill as he goes. You will love the ending, and you will love the whole package!" Dowie's Place Reviews "Passing Notes had a beautiful and fitting end that came full circle and was satisfying to read. For any teen that stumbles through dating, this is a wonderfully informative and entertaining novella that they can learn from." - Rachel Barnard Reviews “This novelette is such a sweet love story. It is promoted as YA fiction because both the main characters are still in high school but actually this is a love story for all romantics… With today's technology making communication faster than ever it is so easy to pick up your mobile phone and send a quick but not particularly impassioned message to the one you love. Although emails are quick and simple there is nothing to beat getting a letter through the post written from the heart and from the person who adores you. D G Driver has captured the delight and romance of the written word beautifully in this short piece. With a back story of an elderly grandma at the end of her life this is an emotive piece of work and one that was a joy to read." - A Woman's Wisdom Reviews |
"The subtle moral of this novella is that love can only grow when we put some thought and effort into it. With the use of texting and social media days, it's easy to become lazy and complacent in our relationships so I honestly believe that this should be required reading for any young (or young at heart) person in your life. It might even save a few marriages.
"Oh, and you'll probably be able to guess who the ghost is but the confirmation provided one of the most powerful moments of the story. Ms. Driver proves once again that she's an author to watch!" Cullen House Reviews "I really liked this story. I liked how Mark just couldn't seem to convey his feelings properly to the girl he so desperately wanted. I liked the element of a little magic helping him along. I liked how the whole thing tied to his family. The only thing I didn't like was that it was too short!!!!!!" - Read Around Sue “This story could pass for many things: an army man's last wish, lingering souls, how to write a love letter. The list goes on. But the take away is love comes in many shapes and sizes, it's a powerful force that still lives on even if we pass from one life to another. The tradition of a letter through mail holds so much meaning that a simple text or an email fails badly in comparison. This is a good novella in a way it teaches us the etiquette and true meaning of writing letters, the bond between family and the long forgotten. Some friends are worth holding on to the end while other fade away.” Lylas Reader Reviews "This is a lovely, well written narrative with strong messages; love lives on and if a heart is set on someone special, the relationship is more than worth the thought and effort that goes into it. The underlying story of Mark’s grandmother is an emotional one, the last chapter is very moving and powerful, bringing everything to a wonderful conclusion. I enjoyed the slightly different slant on the supernatural aspect very much. And who wouldn’t love a hand written love letter as opposed to a quick text or email. The story has thought provoking content and it would be an awful shame if this creative skill and expressive method of communication is lost completely". - Between the Lines |
And there's more!
Here are some fun guest blog posts I've done about Passing Notes that you might enjoy!
This is a fun interview I did for Amethysts Eyes Blog which also has an interview with Mark, the main character of Passing Notes.
A little about why I wrote Passing Notes at this blog hosted by author Norma Huss. "Ghosts Writing Notes"
My guest post "Can Love Come Through the Mail" about how handwritten notes are scientifically proven to be more effective than emailed ones. At author Mysti Parker's blog.
Another guest post "The Simple Joy of Handwritten Notes" for Mother Daughter and Son Book Reviews explores how much personal notes appeal to people.
Here are some fun guest blog posts I've done about Passing Notes that you might enjoy!
This is a fun interview I did for Amethysts Eyes Blog which also has an interview with Mark, the main character of Passing Notes.
A little about why I wrote Passing Notes at this blog hosted by author Norma Huss. "Ghosts Writing Notes"
My guest post "Can Love Come Through the Mail" about how handwritten notes are scientifically proven to be more effective than emailed ones. At author Mysti Parker's blog.
Another guest post "The Simple Joy of Handwritten Notes" for Mother Daughter and Son Book Reviews explores how much personal notes appeal to people.